With the Frozen Four approaching, readers sent in questions they had regarding the Quinnipiac Bobcats and the NCAA Tournament taking place in Tampa. Here are my thoughts on their queries.

Q: Brandon Murdock: “How will Perets respond mentally after last season’s loss?”

A: No one will ever be Yaniv Perets. I could contact my brother finishing up his thesis in neuroscience to psycho-analyze the young man. It’s probably been on his mind all week. As any truly great performer would say, it’s a mind game. Perets responded well to adversity after posting a season-high 45 saves in the “Mitton Miracle” ECAC Semi-Final loss by taking over the NCAA Bridgeport Regional weekend and carrying the second half of the final against Ohio State. Time will tell but I have a feeling Perets will show up on Thursday with a warrior mindset. 

Q: Nick Boyd: “Frozen Four Champion Prediction?” 

A: It’s hard to ignore the sheep parade of Minnesota or Michigan. John Buccigross responded to a tweet recently stating how he feels it is any teams to win. Opposite of the Final Four (NCAA Men’s Division 1 Basketball), these four teams are all truly the best. Boston University, Quinnipiac University, Minnesota, and Michigan at their peak have been the premier programs in college hockey. For the fun of it, I‘ll say QU vs. Minnesota, QU wins 4-3. I can see any combination occurring. 

Q: Joey O’Donoghue: “Does QU win it all / and how?”

A: QU can win it all. How? Like the Ohio State victory. Score early, capitalize on the power play when possible, and then hold on for dear life. The Bobcats don’t have the skill that Minnesota and Michigan have, but they know how to lock it down and make turnovers translate to goals.

Q: Santino Maione: “Come on Mugno, are we talking about a win or a loss here?”

A: We are talking about anyone’s game for QU vs. Michigan. I’m a black-and-white guy myself, I like an answer. I’d roll the dice on Quinnipiac. Side note: QU winning can’t be and should not be classified as an “upset.” 

Q: AJ Helfenbein: “How excited are you to see Luke Hughes in person?!” 

A: When the Devils play the Rangers on April 17. No. As for Thursday. I am excited to see players of Hughes and Adam Fantilli’s caliber. 

Q: Ben Kane: “If you could take one player from the previous frozen four teams (2016) and add them to the current roster who would it be?”

A: This question is intriguing but not necessarily of sustenance. If you add players like Tim Clifton or Sam Anas, it just bolsters the offense. It doesn’t fill a needed hole. It’s more like window shopping or a kid in a candy store. I would take Devon Toews. I think the Bobcats’ defense would benefit more in this fun game rather than the offense. Your defenseman is your horse, and having a loaded top four would benefit the 2023 roster IF they could add a 2016 Bobcat. 

Q: Ben Rickevicious: “Which player in the Frozen Four has the most to prove?”

A: I’ll go with a three-way tie. Sam Lipkin comes to mind. A first year, yes. Let’s see that World Juniors talent on the big stage. Collin Graf. I feel he’s played well but he hasn’t taken over. He hasn’t gotten to the inside of the ice on opportunities against Colgate, Merrimack, or Ohio State. Perets has yet to capture a big moment like this opportunity in ECAC/NCAA playoffs yet. The OSU win surely. For all the shocking losses he’s endured, I think I’d like to see Perets prove to the hockey world that he’s not staying on the wrong end of big moments. 

Q: Mike Singer: “Which players will have to play their “A game” to secure a National Championship?” 

A: The Michael Lombardi – TJ Friedmann – Joey Cippolone line. Lunch pail, sandpaper hockey. Even if “The York Hill Boys” show up, Adam Fantilli and Mackie Samoskevich will too. For QU, 4-19-17 may be the X-factor for the whole tournament. I’ve also penned here, why Desi Burgart may be a crucial piece in a National Championship. In that case, De Jong and Brind’Armour will have to as well. Those lines personify the team’s identity. “A game” is required from the grinders. 

Q: Anthony Rossi: “What is the biggest weakness of this year’s QU team?”

A: I appreciate questions like this Rossi. Giving up goals on the rush. Other arguments are specific and narrative-dependent. If the Bobcats surrendered a goal or more than a goal a game, in-zone turnovers, poor breakouts, or weak board positioning led to that goal. With that said they lead the country with the least number of goals against in the nation (60). Perets is rarely beaten when the opposition is attacking in-zone. This is a difficult question but I think this weakness could be exposed by Thursday’s opponent.  

Q: Andrew Reynolds: Did the Bobcats prove themselves to the country after beating Merrimack & Ohio State in the regionals, with the stigma that they had a weak schedule and are much worse than the NCAA says?

A: I think the stigma already ended. The OSU victory says it all. They did face weaker opponents than the two Big Ten Frozen Finalists. Defeating the Buckeyes and advancing to the Frozen Four should scrub that claim. Also to mention, the Ivy League took a season off which has clearly affected their recruiting and performance. They still had to compete against Harvard, Cornell, and the dark horse Colgate. They also faced UConn and North Dakota as out-of-conference opponents. Let’s not turn a blind eye to the Hockey East as if it were a juggernaut. Six teams had a sub-.500 record. The Big 10 was competitive as all heck, but every conference has programs that struggle. Three of the seven teams were sub-.500 record and five teams were one win out of tying for second place. A cupcake schedule wouldn’t result in a Frozen Four birth.

Q: Mike Hanley: “If the men’s hockey team was a color, what color would it be and why?”

A: Not yellow. I consider myself an artist in some respects. Taylor Swift has an album named after it. It’s currently my favorite country song. Red. Love, passion, anger. 

Q: James Blennau: “What would be the way the Bobcats can power past Michigan and Minnesota/BU (if they make the natty)?”

A: I love the word choice here. Power. It’s physicality, James. Those teams are built for high-speed, triangulating offense, rapid tape-to-tape, and razzle-dazzle hockey. Hitting is a part of the game, they don’t figure skate out there. The Bobcats just have more of that in their identity. Mike Lombardi isn’t going second overall in the NHL draft. But Michigan, and Minnesota, those teams don’t respond well to physical adversity. Last season, the Michigan coaching staff alluded to out-of-conference games as “football,” excited to return to Big Ten play. If you’re not going to slay the dragon in its cave, it’ll destroy your village. The Bobcats play a physical brand. A separate man from the puck. That’s not football. That’s winning a national championship. 

Q: Jenna Coppola: “Who’s performed the worst in the playoffs?”

A: I think for expectations, it must be Collin Graf. It appears most skaters have left their mark in tournament play thus far with a moment, a play. Graf just hasn’t come up in a moment that would be within his style or signature. Steph Curry shoots from range. Derick Henry breaks tackles. Nadal’s forehand is a strong side. We haven’t seen a power-play one-timer. We haven’t seen the cut wide, ride the wave net drive and the opportunities have been there to seize. Who scored the go-ahead goal for the Golden Gophers in the Fargo regional? Logan Cooley. Who scored the game-tying goal for the Wolverines in the Allentown final? Adam Fantilli. How about the Hockey East Championship overtime goal for BU? Lane Hutson. The time is now. Matthew Peca was a major part of the Bobcat’s 2013 run as a sophomore as Graf is this season. He never made it to the Frozen Four again…